


Friends make the best lovers

by zephfair



Category: Bleach
Genre: Childhood Friends AU, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, High School AU, Humor, M/M, PWP, all-human AU, first chapter is Childhood Friends AU, first chapter is rated G, second chapter is High School AU PWP, second chapter is rated Explicit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-22
Updated: 2018-04-22
Packaged: 2019-04-26 14:02:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 15,206
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14403636
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zephfair/pseuds/zephfair
Summary: Ichigo makes peace with the bully who ruins elementary school and later crashes into his life again in high school.





	1. Childhood Friends AU

**Author's Note:**

> I'm doing a 30-Day AU Writing Challenge ([here are the other days so far](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14255820/chapters/32877960)). The Childhood Friends AU was for Day 19, and I loved these guys so much I continued it for Day 21's High School AU.
> 
> The first chapter is just fluff between elementary-age Ichigo and Grimmjow. I love the flashback we have of canon!wee Ichigo where he cries a lot but then always has a huge smile for his mom. What a cutie! Also, let’s pretend this is a world where a kid can safely walk a few blocks alone.
> 
> In the second chapter they meet again in high school at 18 and turn fluff into explicit PWP.

Ichigo really hated walking past the sixth-graders on the way to recess. Every day, it was always the same thing.

“Hey Berry,” a loud voice called out. “You look sweet!”

Ichigo ignored the boy, trying out twisting his face into a scowl. His mom always told him to just ignore it. But it wasn’t easy when Grimmjow the bully was yelling at him and calling him that name he hated. Stupid Grimmjow with his big stupid sixth-grade friends and the tiny quiet one that always looked weird at Orihime.

Ichigo wanted to hate them all, but his mom always said he shouldn’t hate anyone. So he just really, really, REALLY didn’t like them.

At least things were better than at the beginning of the year. Grimmjow had pushed him off the swings twice, shoved him into mud puddles three times, and tried to get him to fight every time the teacher wasn’t looking.

It was a bruised, damp and muddy Ichigo who had finally broken down crying and told on Grimmjow. He’d expected things to get worse, but instead, Grimmjow just stood with his big friends and glared at him. It gave Ichigo the shivers. And made him want to run and hide behind Tatsuki, but he was mostly over that now.

Orihime was the only one of them that would go up and talk to the sixth-graders willingly. Ichigo thought she was kinda brave but mostly stupid. Even if the weird quiet one did accept the flowers Orihime took him, she should stick with her own class instead.

Ichigo gave a particularly hard shove to the merry-go-round and Uryu yelled at him. That didn’t matter—Uryu was always yelling at him—but Ichigo liked to be able to keep at least one eye on Grimmjow at all times.

That’s what made walking home such a pain too. This year, Ichigo had insisted to his parents that he was old enough to finish the walk home from school with his friends. Tatsuki, Orihime and Chad all lived in the same direction as him, and a lot of times Orihime’s big brother would meet them too. Ichigo was pretty sure he saw his dad walking along behind them one day checking up, well, Tatsuki noticed first the big man in a coat, hat and sunglasses in the summer heat first but after she yelled, “Get away, old man!” he’d disappeared into an alley and never come back.

But then Ichigo realized that Grimmjow walked in the same direction too. He always walked alone, lagging behind their happy little chattering group. While they talked and laughed, he kicked at rocks and rubbish and threw them dirty looks.

It almost made Ichigo feel bad. Almost. It seemed like whenever he looked around, Grimmjow would make a rude face at him, so Ichigo went right back to ignoring him.

But one day in the fall Ichigo was faced with the biggest challenge of his young life so far: he had to walk home alone. Tatsuki’s mom picked her and Orihime up for some slumber party and Chad was staying after school for a music lesson. 

Ichigo stood outside the school gate and shook a little. What if something awful happened? What if someone tried to talk to him? What if someone bad tried to grab him? He started walking, one foot in front of the other, starting off slowly but then flat-out running in terror.

He didn’t let up until he started running out of breath and had to stop at an intersection. That’s when he heard the terrifying sound of pounding footsteps behind him. He whipped around just in time to catch sight of Grimmjow pulling up to a stop two houses away. He was out of breath too, but he turned around so Ichigo couldn’t see his face.

And now Ichigo had another fear to worry about. Grimmjow could easily get him now that he was walking all alone. Ichigo whimpered and waited for the light to change so he could cross the street.

Then he started running again, but the stitch in his side came back and he had to stop and gasp. There were only a couple more blocks to go, so he risked a look behind at Grimmjow who now was walking purposefully toward him.

Ichigo took off at the fastest jog his body could handle, little whimpers coming out sometimes as he sneaked more glances back at Grimmjow.

Then Ichigo reached the next street crossing and looked back … and Grimmjow wasn’t there. He’d disappeared.

That was even worse, knowing that he was out there somewhere, but Ichigo couldn’t see him. Ichigo was torn now. Should he run as fast as he could until he got home? Should he go back and see if Grimmjow had gone down the alley to cut him off? He didn’t know. But he was suddenly very scared to keep going and have Grimmjow leap out at him.

Ichigo backed up and then sneaked along the walls the way he’d just come. There was an alley there that was always filled with dumpsters and scary stuff. Maybe Grimmjow was in there doing something or maybe he’d cut ahead of Ichigo already. Either way, Ichigo had to make sure.

He took a breath and peered around the edge of the building. He caught a glimpse of Grimmjow’s jacket behind one of the dumpsters and then he heard it. A loud meow. Grimmjow’s coat disappeared behind the trash, and Ichigo heard the meow again.

His hands balled into fists all on their own. He knew Grimmjow was a mean bully to the other kids, but to hurt an animal, that was unthinkable. There was no way Ichigo was going to let that happen.

He crept down the alley and now he could hear Grimmjow’s voice saying something and then another meow. Ichigo was just moving around the side of the dumpster when Grimmjow suddenly looked around and spotted him.

“What are you doing here?” Grimmjow jumped up.

“What are you doing to the kitty?” Ichigo demanded.

They stared at each other for a long moment before Grimmjow turned with an annoyed “Tch.” He hunched over again then looked back at Ichigo and gestured over. Ichigo was so nervous but he took a couple steps until he could see over Grimmjow’s hunched body.

There was a cardboard box behind some other boxes and garbage bags with a cat laying in it with four little baby kittens. Ichigo gasped. They were the cutest, tiniest things he’d ever seen!

The mother cat looked up and meowed again. Grimmjow mumbled something and glanced at Ichigo. “I found them last week. This was the best box I could find in all this trash.”

“They’re so nice!” Ichigo shuffled closer.

“Don’t touch them! Mama cat won’t like it!” Grimmjow warned and Ichigo put his hands behind his back.

“Wasn’t going to,” he lied.

Grimmjow looked at him like he knew the truth then he rummaged through his bookbag. “I like cats,” he said defensively.

“I do too,” Ichigo said solemnly.

Grimmjow apparently found what he was looking for and pulled out a small, fuzzy blanket with a tiger on it. He looked at Ichigo like he was daring him to comment but Ichigo didn’t say a word. The blanket reminded Ichigo of his favorite blankie was he was little, and he wondered if this one had been Grimmjow’s favorite too. He watched him carefully drape it over mama cat who hissed a little then tucked her head over the kittens before Grimmjow slid the blanket around the box.

“That was nice of you,” Ichigo said.

Grimmjow jumped up suddenly, bumping Ichigo on purpose so Ichigo fell over on his side. “Don’t tell anybody or I’ll give you a bloody nose!”

Ichigo struggled to get to his feet and hold his nose protectively while Grimmjow shook his fist. “I won’t tell! I promise!”

“You better not!” With one last shake, Grimmjow picked up his bookbag and started walking. Then he looked over his shoulder and yelled, “Come on, don’t you wanna go home?”

“Yes!” Ichigo scrambled after him. Grimmjow let Ichigo leave the alley first and then he stayed about ten paces behind Ichigo the whole way home. It was so weird, how it made Ichigo feel better, like no one bad could get him so long as Grimmjow was grumpily walking along behind him.

The next day at recess Grmmjow and his friends laughed when Uryu tripped over his own feet and fell while they were playing tag, but then he pretended like Ichigo wasn’t there. It was nice not to hear the BEEERRYYYY call but he kinda missed it when it didn’t happen.

After school he trailed behind his friends on the walk home, even when Orihime grabbed his hand and tried to make him hurry. He kept sneaking looks back at Grimmjow who was glumly walking along behind.

When Grimmjow ducked into the alley, Ichigo stopped. “I gotta tie my shoes. Go ahead.” Even when the others said they would wait, he told them to keep going, that he’d catch up.

As soon as they turned away, Ichigo sneaked into the alley and ran down to where Grimmjow was kneeling behind the dumpster.

“Hey!” Grimmjow shot up, fists held tight at his side, vibrating with outrage. “What are you doing here?!”

Ichigo slapped a baggie against Grimmjow’s chest. “I brought this,” he said, voice shaking as Grimmjow took the bag. “It’s leftovers from dinner last night. We had fish. I thought mama cat would like them.”

Grimmjow stared at him. “That was...nice of you. Give ‘em here.” He opened the baggie and knelt beside the box, pushing some fish toward the mama cat. She sniffed it delicately then started gobbling it up.

“How’d you ask your mom for the leftovers?” Grimmjow asked as he fed her.

Ichigo squirmed and didn’t want to answer until Grimmjow shoved at him. “I didn’t ask,” he admitted quietly. “I just took them out of the fridge this morning.”

Grimmjow looked at him with something like admiration then. “Huh, I didn’t think Berry had it in him to be so bad.”

“’M not Berry,” Ichigo grumbled and dared to push Grimmjow back. It just made him laugh.

As the cat was finishing the fish, Ichigo asked, “What did you name them?”

“Pft, name them? Why? I can’t keep them,” Grimmjow said.

Ichigo was aghast. “Aren’t you gonna take them home?”

“Ha. No way.”

“Won’t your mom and dad let you?”

There was a long silence while Grimmjow chanced to stretch out his hand over the mother cat’s head. She bumped up into it as if thanking him for the food.

He finally said, “My mom hates cats. Allergic.” 

“Sorry,” Ichigo said quietly, feeling sad when anyone else got sad. “It’s gonna get cold soon.”

“I know,” Grimmjow said, angry now. 

“Maybe we could tell someone else about the kitties—” 

Grimmjow pushed him again, hard enough that Ichigo lost his balance and fell onto his butt. “My friends wouldn’t understand. And I ain’t telling anyone else. You better not either! Get out of here!”

Grimmjow looming above him in the dimness of the dirty, smelly alley was the scariest thing Ichigo had ever seen. He ran the entire way home and broke down in tears when his mother opened the door.

She held him gently while the whole story came out in sobs and starts. He cried so hard he woke the babies and then bawled harder because he knew it meant more work for his mom.

She finally just held him and rocked him as she tried to soothe him. “Let’s see what we can do. We’ll tell Daddy and we’ll make sure that the kitties are all safe, okay, Ichigo?”

Once he’d calmed down and she’d taken care of the twins, Ichigo was ready to be strong and tell the whole story to his dad when he got home from work. He watched his parents exchange meaningful glances. 

“I’m not bringing a feral cat into the house,” Dad said flatly. “Rabies, fleas, ticks, diseases...”

“That’s what veterinarians are for,” Mom pointed out. “Isshin, it’s supposed to rain tonight and for the next three days. We can’t leave them outside with no shelter.”

“She’ll just run away and take the kittens anyway, if she feels threatened.”

“It would just be temporary. You could put the box in the garage so she’s not disturbed. And when the kittens are old enough to be weaned, we can find homes for them all, along with her.”

“I don’t know,” Dad sighed then hunched down so he was face to face with Ichigo. “Pets are a lot of work and responsibility. Are you sure you’re ready for that?”

Ichigo nodded so hard, if felt like his head would fly off. “Please. Dad, we can’t let them outside in the rain and cold.”

Isshin ruffled his hair and said, “Definitely your mother’s heart,” before leaving.

Ichigo was too nervous to sit still until he heard the garage door shutting. His dad said a bad word that he wasn’t supposed to know but Ichigo was too excited to say anything. Dad was showing Mom a long line of scratches on his hands, but broke away when Ichigo went to the door.

“No, son. Not tonight. We’re going to have to keep them shut up inside for a couple days or the mother cat will run away. They’re safe now and warm, and I’ll pick up some cat food in the morning.”

Ichigo was mollified for the moment but he bugged his dad about it so much the next morning before school that Isshin let him stick his head in the garage long enough to see the box up on his dad’s workbench, Grimmjow’s blanket still tucked around it.

He was happy all day long and even smiled at Grimmjow when he went past him at recess. Grimmjow made a gesture at him that Ichigo didn’t know what it meant, but he figured it was probably bad.

He pulled up the hood of his raincoat and put on his rain boots so he could tromp in puddles with his friends on the way home. They took turns jumping and splashing in the deepest ones. Ichigo forgot about Grimmjow for a while until Orihime gasped and said, “He’s getting all wet.”

Ichigo turned to look at Grimmjow standing under the few leaves left on a tree, shoulders hunched, thoroughly drenched. He had no rain coat, no hood and no boots.

And it reminded Ichigo about the cat. He went running back to Grimmjow, forgetting all about his friends for the minute.

“What do you want,” Grimmjow snapped.

“You’re wet,” Ichigo pointed out and then felt stupid.

Grimmjow said a bad word. “Go away.”

“I wanna tell you about the,” Ichigo lowered his voice, “cat.”

“What about it?”

“I told my mom and dad last night.” When Grimmjow said another bad word, Ichigo hurried on, “My dad went and got the kitties and they’re in our garage. You should come see them.” And then he realized what he said and covered his mouth in horror. He braced himself for the fallout, not knowing what Grimmjow’s reaction would be. Would he hit him? Would he laugh? Would he make fun of him? Or worse, _would he take Ichigo up on it and actually go to Ichigo’s house?!_

Instead Grimmjow just stood there dripping and staring at Ichigo. “You shouldn’t’a told your parents,” he said finally.

“But the kitties would’ve drowned in this rain,” Ichigo argued, fear forgotten in the face of anger.

Grimmjow shrugged. “Who cares?”

“I care! And you care!” Ichigo yelled and in the embrace of righteous anger, poked Grimmjow in the chest.

Grimmjow looked down at the offending finger then back up at Ichigo who was quivering slightly. “Leave me alone. I don’t care about the cat. Or about you,” Grimmjow finally said and brushed past him, continuing his walk home all alone.

Ichigo should have enjoyed the end of the recess bullying and name-calling, but somehow knowing what Grimmjow really thought of him hurt more than the yelling. He just tried to ignore Grimmjow but it didn’t work any better than it ever had, and he spotted him still watching Ichigo sometimes when he was playing.

The kittens were the bright spot of his life. He visited them every day when he got home and fed the mother cat under the close supervision of a parent. His dad said that she must have been a house cat at one time because she soon warmed up to the family and let Ichigo pet her when she was out of the box.

Ichigo would stand on tiptoe and peer into the box of kittens while she ate with one careful eye on him. The mama cat was a pretty mix of white, black and yellow, what Ichigo’s mom called calico. The babies were a mix of colors, but Ichigo soon picked a favorite.

And when the kittens began to drink milk out of a saucer and crunch at tiny pieces of kitten food, Ichigo’s dad declared that it was time to find them homes. His cousin who had a farm way out in the country said she would take the mother cat and one kitten. Ichigo was jealous that cousin Ganju would have two to play with. Then Ichigo’s mom knew a lady who was looking for some new friends and would take another two.

Ichigo’s dad said that since he’d been such a big help, he could pick one out to keep.

Ichigo eagerly picked up the white one with the black markings on its face, ears, neck and the very tip of its tiny, stubby tail. It had a fat little warm belly he loved to tickle and little pink toe beans and he just wanted to hug it all the time.

When his parents decided that they would take the kittens to Kukaku and his mom’s friend, Ichigo knew it was his last chance. His mom had actually suggested it several times, but Ichigo didn’t know if he was brave enough to go through with it. The encouraging smile on his mom’s face when he left the house that morning settled it.

When recess came, he marched right up to Grimmjow on the playground despite Grimmjow’s friends starting to make fun of him and his own friends looking on in horror. He mumbled it a bit but finally asked if Grimmjow would come over to his house after school.

Grimmjow’s friends started hooting and laughing that “Berry loves Grimmjow” and other things. Grimmjow stepped up to him and pushed him roughly. “I told you to leave me alone. Go away!”

So Ichigo did. Only when they left for home that afternoon, Grimmjow just happened to be walking behind him a lot closer than usual. And when his friends split off from him, Grimmjow still followed.

Ichigo ran the final block and into the house, tripping over his shoes and meeting his mom in a flying hug. “He’s coming,” he hissed.

She opened the door and smiled at Grimmjow who shuffled inside slowly. “Ichigo, why don’t you take Grimmjow to the garage to meet his friends. I’ll make you a snack. Grimmjow, are you sure that your mom won’t let you have a kitten? We’d love to give you one.”

Grimmjow only shook his head but he was right behind Ichigo who led the way to the garage. The kittens were never in the box now but happily roamed the entire garage when they weren’t huddled in a pile napping.

Mama cat came to Ichigo right away and rubbed against his legs. Grimmjow stared. “She’s friendly.”

“Yeah! And she loves food!” Ichigo hunched down and scratched behind her ears. Her enthusiastic purr rumbled through the garage. Ichigo looked up at Grimmjow. “You can pet her too.”

Grimmjow leaned down slowly and held out his hand. Mama cat sniffed it, investigating for food, but let Grimmjow run his hand over her head and down her back. “She’s pretty.”

“Wait ‘til you see the rest. Here.” Ichigo had reached into a sealed bag on the shelf and pulled out some soft cat treats. “Give this to her.”

Grimmjow offered it to her, and she took it gently and chowed down. Then he said, “They got big!”

Ichigo looked where he was pointing. Two of the black and yellow kittens had heard the commotion or smelled the food and were coming toward them. “They’re growing every day, like a bad weed, my dad says. Oh, there’s the little girl!” 

A miniature calico version of the mother was waddling out from behind a box and hurrying toward them too. Ichigo sat down on the ground and motioned for Grimmjow to join him. “Come on, they’re fun.”

Grimmjow sat immediately and watched Ichigo rolling over the kittens as they came to play with him. “There were four of them,” he said suddenly.

“Oh yeah. I don’t know where he is. Sometimes he’s kinda lazy and he likes to hide.” Ichigo stood up and peered around some of the lower shelves. “Hey, grumpy, get out here!”

Finally a tiny but strident meow came from the other corner. Ichigo crowed and ran that way, back to Grimmjow, and bent over. He triumphantly carried the kitten back to Grimmjow. And dropped it on his lap.

Grimmjow looked down at the indignant white and black kitten that was looking up at him with big baby blue eyes. Grimmjow held out his finger and the kitten nipped it with needle-sharp teeth. Then it rubbed its jaw along the finger as if apologizing. Grimmjow felt the incredible softness of its fur and tiny black ears then it rolled onto its back and attacked his fingers again eagerly. He tickled its belly and laughed when it grabbed and held on with all four paws.

“You’re such a goof,” he said affectionately, then looked up as though he’d forgotten Ichigo was there watching. But Ichigo was just sitting beside him and grinning.

“This one is ours,” Ichigo announced. “I’m allowed to keep one, and I picked him. I thought we could share him.”

“What?” Grimmjow looked silly with his mouth hanging open like that.

“Well, you’re not allowed to have one, but you found them so it’s like they’re yours too. We can keep him here, and you can come over any time and play with him too,” Ichigo explained.

Grimmjow looked from him back to the kitten who was eagerly gnawing at his finger again and back to Ichigo. “What’s his name?”

Ichigo shrugged. “I didn’t name him yet. I thought you’d like to.”

Grimmjow picked up the kitten who gave a little squeak at being deprived of tasty human flesh. He held it up so they were eye to eye. The kitten swatted its paw at his nose.

“Pantera. He’s Pantera,” Grimmjow said firmly.

“That’s so cool,” Ichigo breathed. 

“He’ll be the king of the cats.”

“Coolest name ever.”

Grimmjow looked at the beaming Ichigo and nudged him. “You’re kinda cool, Berry.”

“Don’t tell anyone. And please don’t call me that,” Ichigo said very solemnly.

“But you’re cute and sweet,” Grimmjow teased until Ichigo blushed hotly.

“I’ll tell my mom you like strawberry milk for next time,” he shot back but Grimmjow didn’t deny it. Instead he stared back at the kitten in his hands.

“You really want me to come over?” he asked.

“Yeah, anytime!” and Ichigo watched in wonder as Grimmjow smiled at him for the first time.

So they spent the happiest year of Ichigo’s elementary school.

His mom insisted Grimmjow stay for dinner that night, and although Ichigo didn’t catch on, she and his dad asked a lot of questions of the boy. Grimmjow had said that he didn’t need to call his mother which set off warning bells for both the parents. They finally got most of the story that Grimmjow lived alone with his mother who worked until eight or nine at night so he was always home alone after school.

Ichigo didn’t even mind when his mom gave Grimmjow twice as much ice cream for dessert and said, “Why don’t you boys sit here and finish your homework. Then you can see the kittens again before we take Grimmjow home.”

“You don’t have to take me home,” Grimmjow said immediately. “I can walk fine from here.”

“We’re not letting you walk home alone in the dark, dear,” Ichigo’s mom said kindly but firmly. “Now, do you want chocolate syrup and a cherry?”

Ichigo was used to sitting at the kitchen table to do his homework and getting help from either parent who wasn’t cleaning up or dealing with the babies. Grimmjow fiddled and dawdled and didn’t look comfortable at all, especially when Ichigo’s dad sat down and pulled over a sheet of math problems.

“Ugh, I hate math,” his dad confided to the boys. “I always make your mom do it because she actually loves it, but I think I could maybe help you with this. Just show me how to fix this problem?”

Ichigo tuned them out while Grimmjow haltingly explained the way the teacher had demonstrated, and Isshin helped him go through the assignment. They both finished at the same time.

“Very good,” Isshin praised. “Now, do you want to watch some TV or play with the kittens?”

The two boys glanced at each other but both piped up, “Play with the kittens!”

Grimmjow showed Ichigo how to make a toy out of an old broom handle and a bit of bright ribbon, and they took turns trailing it across the floor then flipping it in the air to make the kittens stalk and leap and jump. By the time the kittens were ready to curl up together to sleep, the boys were tired too.

Ichigo’s mom opened the door and told them it was time they took Grimmjow home. Ichigo reached out to grab his arm but stopped himself just in time. It was what he would do to Chad or Tatsuki or maybe even Uryu but it didn’t seem right to hold onto Grimmjow because he didn’t want him to leave.

Ichigo’s mom drove them to a small apartment building that Grimmjow pointed out then she locked Ichigo in the car while she took Grimmjow up to his apartment. Ichigo was dozing off when she finally came back.

“Well, that was interesting,” she said in a tone of voice Ichigo rarely heard. His mom was always smiling and teasing and laughing, but now she sounded kinda mad. He really hoped Grimmjow hadn’t used any of his bad words around her. She turned around to look at Ichigo and smiled sadly. “We’re going to have Grimmjow over a lot, if that’s okay with you.” When Ichigo nodded hard, she said, “I don’t think he should be alone all the time, but his mother has different opinions. So, we’ll just invite him over after school and you can find out what foods he likes or if he has any allergies so he can eat dinner with us.”

“And he can play with Pantera all the time,” Ichigo cheered and his mother’s smile brightened.

“That’s right. I’m sure your kitty will love it.”

Pantera did love it. He seemed especially lonely once his mom and sisters were gone, so he enjoyed all the extra attention from Ichigo and Grimmjow. Ichigo didn’t even mind too much sharing time every evening with his mom and dad. Grimmjow ate whatever they had for dinner with gusto, and he shocked Ichigo to the core one night when he stood up and cleared his throat and offered to do the dishes.

Ichigo quickly volunteered to help too, so his dad pointed them in the right direction while his mom got the babies ready for bed. Even though the kitchen ended up suspiciously wet from some little hands and lots of soap suds, Ichigo’s mother thanked them sincerely. And it became a regular thing when they didn’t have much homework. 

Ichigo found out that Grimmjow loved movies with lots of explosions and bad words that Ichigo wasn’t allowed to watch yet. Ichigo introduced him to mecha anime instead, and they watched that eagerly while dangling toys for Pantera to attack.

Ichigo was still struggling through karate lessons on Saturdays, and Tatsuki regularly kicked his butt. Until Grimmjow started teaching him some other fighting and wrestling moves that they practiced in secret in Ichigo’s bedroom because he didn’t think he would be allowed to kick Tatsuki between the legs then wrench her arm up behind her back until she called out.

Grimmjow still got a ride home every night, especially in the winter when the snow piled up outside and they could only spend a little time outside playing before it got dark. Ichigo and he rode in the back seat when whatever parent was free drove Grimmjow home, and Ichigo found himself falling asleep, slumping over onto Grimmjow’s shoulder more often.

When spring arrived, they ran and shouted around the yard, wielding stick-swords until Ichigo sliced Grimmjow a cut right down his chest through his thin T-shirt. Ichigo started crying at the blood while Grimmjow stood there in shock. 

The crying drew his mom’s attention, and she hurried Grimmjow into the clinic while he tried to reassure Ichigo. But Ichigo was convinced that he’d killed Grimmjow, and he sobbed uncontrollably until Grimmjow stomped up to his room and punched him in the shoulder. 

“I’m fine, you dummy! You didn’t kill me!”

“I’m so sorry!” Ichigo grabbed Grimmjow and hugged him fiercely. Grimmjow was stiff as a board but he slowly relaxed as Ichigo wet the front of his bloody shirt with his tears. Grimmjow patted him on the back.

“Your dad said I’m okay. But he had to give me some stitches. Look, it’s so cool! He said it might even leave a _scar_!”

Ichigo finally wiped his eyes and nose and had to agree that the stitches were very cool and that having a scar would definitely make Grimmjow look even tougher.

Then Grimmjow came over the day before his sixth-grade graduation and held Pantera as tightly as he could. He didn’t want any food or drink, and Ichigo’s mom worriedly checked his forehead for fever before he gently pulled away.

Grimmjow finally told them that his mom was moving them the very next day to a different prefecture. She’d gotten another job and just told him the night before. This would be the last time he’d see Ichigo and the Kurosaki family.

Ichigo saw his mom choke back some tears as she hugged Grimmjow tightly to her and rubbed his back. She whispered something to him and he nodded vigorously. Whatever it was made her hold him tighter and kiss the top of his head. Ichigo’s dad shook hands with him very solemnly and warned him not to get any more stitches or scars or he would look too tough.

Then Grimmjow hugged Pantera one more time. “I’ll miss you, King,” he told the kitten who just stared back at him and purred.

He turned to Ichigo who was trying and failing to hold back tears. “I’ll miss you too, Berry,” he said and opened his arms. Ichigo rushed to hug him.

“I’ll miss you too. And don’t call me that.”

Ichigo felt Grimmjow laugh against him and he felt him brush a kiss to his cheek. Then Grimmjow stepped back and ruffled his hair. And with a final wave at the Kurosaki family, he walked away.

That was the last time Ichigo saw him until the beginning of his junior year of high school when a new senior set the school abuzz.


	2. High School AU PWP

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 21 High School AU
> 
> The first half of the chapter is more fluff, but the explicit scene begins in the second half.

“Hey Berry,” a loud male voice called out. “You look sweet!” 

Ichigo froze in the hallway of the high school, memories tumbling back and making his heart race with remembered anxiety.

That voice. It sounded nothing like a sixth-grader. It was low and rather nice and knowing, somehow.

But the tone, the teasing, the emphasis on stringing out the word Beeerryyyy for maximum embarrassment. That was all “Grimmjow?”

Ichigo whipped around and looked for the Grimmjow he remembered, the skinny, gangly sixth-grader who’d moved away.

He certainly didn’t remember the tall, broad-shouldered guy leaning against the wall and smirking down at him. This dude had baby blue hair slicked back and somehow managed to make the high school uniform look as dangerous as leather and studs. “Grimmjow?!” Ichigo asked again.

“Lookin’ good, Berry,” Grimmjow pushed off the wall and sauntered over to him.

There was a murmur among the students pushing through the hall, and Ichigo clearly heard Keigo asking, “What’s a Grimmjow?”

“What are you doing here?” Ichigo asked, staring up into the bright blue eyes he remembered although now they looked harder.

Grimmjow made a show of looking around him. “Well, it’s a high school, and I’m a senior so...”

“You transferred in?”

“Yep,” he said, popping the last letter in an obnoxious way Ichigo immediately hated. “I thought I might have some fun my last year in school.”

“I can’t believe it,” Ichigo blurted, still staring into Grimmjow’s eyes. “All these years, not a word. And now you just show up out of the blue and go right back to being a dick.”

“It’s a gift,” Grimmjow said and brushed his shoulder with his as he passed. “See you around, sweet Berry.”

Ichigo gnashed his teeth, but he let him have the final word. His friends were staring open-mouthed. “Was that really Grimmjow? From elementary school?” Orihime asked.

“Apparently.”

“He was your best friend. He’d go to your house every day to play with your cat.”

“Our cat,” Ichigo automatically corrected and then swore. “I can’t believe out of all the schools in the country he had to come back to ours.”

“He looks like trouble,” Keigo said in a voice that was both anxious and admiring. Ichigo had to admit he was right. But he knew that Grimmjow more than looked like trouble—he was the very definition of it.

“We’ll just stay away from him. This is our junior year, and we’re going to enjoy it,” Ichigo said firmly. “And we don’t need to get messed up with Grimmjow.”

Despite his warning, Ichigo was looking for the bright blue head at lunch. His friends often went up to the roof or found a shady place in the courtyard when the weather was good, but Ichigo kept an eye out to see if Grimmjow would seek him out.

Of course he was relieved when he didn’t, of course, but he slumped down beside Chad and felt vaguely disappointed anyway. 

Then he had to walk right into the path of Grimmjow and some old acquaintances. Ulquiorra and Nnoitra had both gone to their elementary school, and although Orihime had apparently stayed civil with the quiet, short one, Ichigo had just blithely ignored their existence.

They along with Szayelaporro had a reputation around the high school for finding and using certain pharmaceuticals and other things to alleviate the stress of life.

Grimmjow looked the tough bruiser bouncer who would take care of business by busting heads and kicking ass.

Ichigo couldn’t help but notice the massive amount of muscle Grimmjow had put on in all the right places, and it made his stomach knot with a different kind of anxiety. Grimmjow was looking him up and down too. 

But he didn’t say anything as they passed each other, just smirked down at him. Ichigo’s stomach did a flip.

It lasted until after school when he was roped into helping clean up the classroom by Uryu who apparently was already trying to score brownie points. “I heard that your old best friend transferred in for his senior year,” Uryu said.

Ichigo sighed. “Grimmjow’s back. But it’s not like we’re still friends. I haven’t seen him since we were kids.”

Uryu pushed up his glasses and gave Ichigo the superior look he wore when he was doling out life advice. “Just remember that. It appears he has already taken up with some of the less savory elements of our school.”

“Last week you called me a less savory element,” Ichigo reminded him but Uryu only sniffed.

“I was talking about your and Chad’s propensity for unnecessary violence.”

“You know that we never pick fights. But we do defend ourselves and our friends.”

Uryu waved it off. “I’m not saying that you don’t think you have justification for your actions, but I am warning you to watch yourself around Grimmjow. If he is as troubled as he was as a child and now he chooses the same bad crowd—”

“You don’t know anything about Grimmjow and his ‘troubles’ as a child,” Ichigo said stiffly. “So stuff it. And he’s only been here one day. Who cares if he’s catching up with his old friends? Give him some time to settle in and find new friends.”

“Oh yes, because I’m sure he’s a straight-A student and all the honors clubs will be fighting over him.”

“You can be such an asshole sometimes,” Ichigo told him and slammed the last few chairs back in a temper. “I’m leaving. Next time, pick one of your friends to help you clean.”

“Ichigo—” he ignored Uryu’s tired protest and stormed out of the room, shrugging on his jacket as he went.

Of course Grimmjow was waiting right outside the school gates and fell into step with him. “You not in any clubs either?”

“I’m in the shut-the-hell-up club mostly.”

Grimmjow barked a laugh. “Me too.”

They walked in silence for a while until Ichigo realized “Where are we going?”

“Home.”

“You and your mom living in your old neighborhood?”

“My mom is living down south with her newest boyfriend,” Grimmjow shrugged. “I have an apartment in the building next to where I used to live.”

“No way. Huh.” Ichigo was dying to ask more questions, but if Grimmjow was anything like he used to be, he wouldn’t answer them anyway. “You wanna come over to my house?”

“You still in the same place? Your parents still together?”

“Yes and yes,” Ichigo sighed. “They’re just the same as always.”

“Your dad still do that weird thing with the straws up his nose when you go out for dinner?”

“Yes,” Ichigo groaned. “He still lives to embarrass us, but mostly it just humiliates my sisters now. Karin refuses to be seen in public with him.”

“Your sisters. I almost forgot about them. I guess they’re...bigger now.”

“Yeah. Yuzu’s a sweet kid. Karin’s kind of a pain in the ass, total smartass.”

“Guess she doesn’t take after her brother then.”

“Hey!” When Ichigo bumped Grimmjow he moved just about as far as he’d done when they were kids. “Dammit, you’re still bigger than me.”

“I’ll always be looking down on you, Berry,” Grimmjow smirked and bumped him back.

“Saw you with some of your old buddies today at lunch,” Ichigo couldn’t look at him while he tried a hand at being a responsible, maturing adult. “I don’t know if you’re aware of this, but they have a certain...reputation around the school.”

“Really.”

“Yeah. Everybody knows they cut school, drink, smoke, although,” Ichigo eyed the pack of cigarettes that Grimmjow had taken out of his backpack, “that might not be a problem for you.”

“Sounds like my kinda guys,” Grimmjow agreed, shaking out a cigarette before offering the pack to Ichigo who held up a hand.

“Just...be careful,” Ichigo tried again. “Some of the teachers and administrators are cool but a couple are real hardasses. I don’t want to see you get in trouble right away.”

“Such a sweet Berry,” Grimmjow teased, blowing his smoke away from Ichigo who pointedly fanned the air anyway.

“Just watch yourself.”

“Why don’t you keep a close eye on me instead?”

“You’re a big boy. Man up,” Ichigo said and indicated the turn to his house. “You coming in?”

Grimmjow stopped and took another drag of his cigarette. “Not today. Later.”

“See ya,” Ichigo waved and finished his walk, all the time aware of the heat of eyes on his back.

His mother looked up from the stove and smiled when he called out that he was home. 

“You’re never going to believe who just transferred into our school,” he began.

*******

 

Grimmjow just happened to be outside the school fence smoking in the morning when Ichigo arrived, his old pals surrounding him. He waved a hand and Ichigo nodded in his direction.

Then a group of tough-looking thugs that Ichigo was all too familiar with swaggered in the other direction—straight for Ichigo. He really wished that Chad had been running late that morning too.

The leader of the group stopped right in Ichigo’s face. “We still owe you for that little incident down by the river.”

Ichigo made a show of rolling his eyes. “You mean the smackdown Chad and I handed to you and your friends for harassing those girls?”

“It wasn’t a smackdown. You cheated!”

Ichigo wiped the spittle off his cheek with disgust. “Yeah, two of us took on six of you and won fair and square. That’s pretty much the definition of a smackdown. Or would you prefer beat down? Or massacre?”

“You little prick, think you’re so smart.”

Ichigo grabbed his wrist and twisted right as his fist came towards Ichigo’s face. He kept twisting until the guy went to his knees. The guy’s friends rushed forward then practically squealed to a stop. Ichigo didn’t know why until he felt the heavy arm drape itself over his shoulders.

“What do you assholes think you’re doing?” Grimmjow asked the group.

“He’s beating on our boss. Again,” one finally spoke up.

“Again?” Grimmjow scoffed and kicked out, booting the leader right in the ribs. He howled but didn’t go down since Ichigo was still holding his arm. “Sounds like you pussies need a new boss. One who’s tougher and smarter. You should know better than to mess with him,” he jerked his head toward Ichigo. “Or me,” he grinned and it showed most of his teeth.

The gang was already backing up, and when Ichigo let go of the leader’s arm with a huff, he scurried backwards quickly.

“You haven’t heard the last of me, Kurosaki,” the leader spat out. “I don’t care whose cock you’re suck- oof” He shut up quickly when Grimmjow stepped forward and kicked him in the jaw.

Then he hunched down toward the groaning leader. “You’d better learn how to talk to your superiors or you’ve got a whole world of hurt coming.” He stood up and said to the gang, “Take him to the nurse and tell her how he fell on his face.”

He turned back to Ichigo and ignored them as they carried-dragged the moaning senior away. “They ruined my smoke.”

“You ruined that guy’s day,” Ichigo said. 

“Ask me if I care.”

“I could have handled him. I’ve done it before.”

“I know. I hear you have quite the reputation now as a punk and a fighter, you and your big friend,” Grimmjow brushed past him and said low in his ear, “I can’t wait to try you.”

“Let’s go now,” Ichigo said, his blood still boiling from the encounter.

“Some things are worth waiting for, to do right,” Grimmjow said. “Did you learn anything from me? You were such a whiny, crying, mama’s boy. Can’t wait to see you in action.”

“After school,” Ichigo promised and Grimmjow smiled.

Only he wasn’t waiting outside or by the gate when Ichigo got there. Figuring he knew when he’d been blown off, Ichigo started home by himself.

Then Grimmjow stepped out of a convenience store right in front of him, holding two sodas in one hand and a bag in the other. He pressed one of the sodas into Ichigo’s chest. “Here.”

Ichigo looked at the can in amusement. “I haven’t drunk one of these in forever.”

“Me either.” Grimmjow cracked his open and drank then sputtered. “Did it always taste like shit?”

“Probably,” Ichigo tried his and coughed. “We obviously didn’t have good taste as kids.”

“Speak for yourself,” Grimmjow said and offered him the bag. It was full of candy and snacks.

Ichigo laughed. “If I told you that would ruin my dinner, would you laugh at me?”

“Definitely.” 

But Ichigo pulled a chocolate bar from the bag anyway. “I thought we were going to rumble.”

“Plenty of time for that.”

They started walking as they made a dent in the bag of snacks. Ichigo realized they were headed in the direction of home so he offered again, “You wanna come to my house? I told my parents you were back, and they’re anxious to see you again.”

Grimmjow looked like he straightened his slouch for a moment. “I guess so. Only to say hi to your mom. She was cool.”

“I take after her.”

“She was the only cool one in your entire family.”

“Liar.”

“Your dad,” Grimmjow reminded him and Ichigo grimaced.

“You have a point there.”

When they got to Ichigo’s home, Ichigo watched Grimmjow steel himself before stepping inside. He needn’t have bothered because the house was controlled chaos, as usual. Yuzu and Karin zeroed in on them as soon as they entered.

“Ichigo, have you seen my cleats? They were here at the door this morning.”

“Ichigo, do you still have the report you did on Australia? I picked it for my research project too. Who’s your friend?”

“Is that candy? You gonna share?”

Then his mother stuck her head out of the kitchen. “Girls, let them get inside at least. And I hope that is not candy because dinner will be ready in an hour.” She walked towards them wiping her hands on a tea towel and smiled broadly. “Grimmjow! You grew up so handsome!”

She hugged him, and Ichigo was struck by how Grimmjow towered over her compared to the last hug they shared. His mother must have thought so too because she laughed and reached up to pat his head. “And you grew up so tall too!”

“You haven’t aged a day, Mrs. Kurosaki,” Grimmjow told her and she smiled smugly at her children.

“See kids, now that’s what we call good manners. This is why Grimmjow will get a special dessert tonight.”

At the general outcry, she laughed and pulled Grimmjow by the hand. “Come in and tell us where you’ve been all these years.”

Grimmjow actually looked flustered by all the attention and as much as Ichigo would have liked to see him suffer, he decided to take pity on him. “Actually, Mom, I think someone else wants to see Grimmjow.”

“Oh. Right. Well, don’t keep him all to yourself, Ichigo. And be ready for dinner.”

“Sure, Mom.” Ichigo led the way to his room and set his bookbag down on his desk. Grimmjow was looking around the room. 

“It looks like I remember it,” he said. 

Ichigo snorted. “Are you saying I have the taste of a fifth-grader?”

“Nah, it just looks like you.”

Ichigo glanced around at the posters on the walls and the general detritus of a teenage boy’s bedroom. “Messy?”

Grimmjow laughed and flopped down on the bed, making himself at home. 

Ichigo leaned down beside the bed then looked beneath it. “I thought so. Will you come out? I have a surprise for you.”

“Who the hell are you talking to?” Grimmjow rolled onto his side to watch Ichigo.

Ichigo sat up holding a very large cat. Its black ears were folded back and it gazed at him suspiciously. Much like he had years before, Ichigo dropped it on Grimmjow who let out an oof when the weight hit him in the stomach.

“Pantera?” Grimmjow wheezed. “He’s a fat fuck.”

Pantera gave him a withering look and moved onto the bed to begin grooming himself. 

“He’s not fat. He’s fluffy,” Ichigo said.

“Why was he hiding under the bed?” Grimmjow held his fingers up to Pantera who turned his nose away and made a show of ignoring him as only a cat could.

“My sisters have whined for years about getting a kitten so my parents finally gave in. Pantera can’t stand Kon.”

Grimmjow had been carding his fingers through the long fur of Pantera’s tail, but when Ichigo said the hated name, Pantera flipped his tail out of reach and turned to pounce on Grimmjow’s hand.

“Son of a—” Grimmjow yelled when the claws came out. 

“I think he remembers you,” Ichigo said dryly.

Grimmjow rolled over so he could bring both hands up to play-fight the cat. Pantera was on his back and trying valiantly to kill at least one of Grimmjow’s hands.

“Speak of the devil,” Ichigo said, looking at the doorway.

Grimmjow leaned his head up to see a half-grown ginger cat, fluffy as fuck, wearing a pink frilly collar around its neck sneak into the room.

Kon went straight to Ichigo sitting on the floor and curled up on his lap. He kneaded at Ichigo’s pants and purred.

“How cozy. He likes you,” Grimmjow told him.

“Yeah. But Pantera is still my best cat.” Ichigo looked with dismay at the kitten using him as a bed.

“I don’t think you get to choose,” Grimmjow said. Then he went back to playing with Pantera who had declared a truce with Grimmjow’s hands as long as they worked magic on all his favorite scratching spots. He even favored Grimmjow with a quick grooming of his wrist which Grimmjow solemnly thanked him for.

Ichigo dumped Kon off his lap and stood up. “I’m going to the bathroom. Don’t trash my room while I’m gone.”

“I know you’re talking to that cat and not me.”

“I’ll trust Pantera to keep an eye on you.”

When Ichigo returned, it didn’t look like Pantera had listened either. Kon was up on the bed, fluffed to his maximum floof, doing the funny arch-backed strut around Grimmjow’s hands. Every few seconds, Grimmjow would quickly poke him and Kon would arch more and strut back the other way.

Pantera looked on from the pillow by Grimmjow’s head where he was sitting in loaf formation and rubbing against Grimmjow’s cheek which he occasionally licked.

“Quit seducing my cat,” Ichigo said.

“You jealous?” Grimmjow rolled over and blinked like a huge cat himself. “‘Cause I can seduce you instead.”

Ichigo blustered something but was saved when Kon, frustrated from losing Grimmjow’s attention, jumped right onto his face. Grimmjow’s shout was muffled but Pantera let out a scream and batted at Kon who only hunkered down more making Grimmjow shout again.

Ichigo burst out laughing and had to hold his sides. Grimmjow finally dislodged Kon by sitting up but that made him fall into Grimmjow’s lap which made Grimmjow swear until Kon got all his feet under him and ran, bouncing onto the floor and zooming past Ichigo to escape the room.

Pantera rubbed against Grimmjow and made concerned noises while Ichigo tried to stop laughing and breathe. Grimmjow was glaring at him which only made him laugh harder. “You’re an asshole,” Grimmjow told him.

“I wish I’d recorded that,” Ichigo had to wipe tears from his eyes. 

“Now I remember why I hate you.”  
His mother’s call echoed up the stairs, “If you two boys are done rough-housing get your butts down here for dinner!”

Ichigo learned that one thing about Grimmjow hadn’t changed—he still ate like a horse. Only this time he was old enough to regularly compliment Mrs. Kurosaki’s cooking and grin at her when she pretended to be embarrassed. 

“Doesn’t it bother you that he’s flirting with your wife right in front of you?” Ichigo stage-whispered to his father while his mother loaded Grimmjow’s plate again and giggled at one of his jokes.

“She’s a very attractive woman; it’s no surprise that other men lust over her.” Ichigo and Karin gagged at Isshin’s response.

“Oh, darling, you have nothing to worry about,” Masaki dropped a kiss on Isshin’s cheek which made all three of her children shudder. “I’m not in the market for a younger model. Yet.”

“Ah, my dearest, you tease me because you love me!” Isshin grabbed her face and lavished kisses all over it to the loud protests of her family. Grimmjow just sat and ate, looking very amused by the whole situation.

“I know I don’t have to remind you boys to do your homework,” Masaki said once they had helped clear the table. “But if you get done early, I have more cake as a reward.”

“Geez, Mom. Are you trying to make us fat?”

“Neither one of you have to worry about that. Now, quit distracting your sisters. I can’t believe the teachers give so much work this early in the year.”

Ichigo led the way back upstairs but he sat on the bed before Grimmjow could sprawl out again. Kon had disappeared but Pantera was still asleep on Ichigo’s pillow.

“Do you have any homework?”

Grimmjow shrugged then yawned, stretching his hands up almost to the ceiling. Ichigo saw a glimpse of skin as his shirt pulled free from his pants and when he turned, he saw a hint of ink. “Do you have a tattoo?”

Grimmjow looked surprised then involuntarily felt his back. “Yeah. You wanna see.”

Ichigo leaned forward and Grimmjow turned sideways and lifted his shirt. It was a stylized numeral 6 in crisp black ink. “What’s it mean?”

“It was my rank in the … in a club I was in.”

Ichigo pretended like he didn’t hear the slip up. “You got anymore?”

Grimmjow’s smirk was slow. “Yeah. But I don’t know if you’re ready to see them.”

Ichigo tried to give him a glare but he could feel his cheeks turning red. “I actually do have work to do so if you wanna stay, stop distracting me.”

“Sure thing,” Grimmjow strolled around the room while Ichigo went to his desk and began pulling out his books. Grimmjow found his shelf of manga and made himself comfortable on the bed again, sharing the pillow with Pantera.

He said suddenly, “Remember when we’d do our homework at your table and your dad would pretend he didn’t know how to do the math problems.”

“I don’t think it was a joke. He sucks at math,” Ichigo said dryly. “Mom does all the banking and accounting for the clinic. He stopped helping me in elementary school.”

Grimmjow laughed lowly. “They would always take me home at night. It’s like they didn’t trust me to walk alone.”

“It wasn’t that they didn’t trust you. They worried about you. A lot.”

“Crazy,” Grimmjow said. 

Ichigo went to work and when he looked over the next time, Grimmjow was asleep, curled on his side, Pantera nestled against his chest purring gently.

Ichigo debated for only a second before snapping pictures of the scene. Then he reached over Pantera and shook Grimmjow awake. “It’s getting late. You want a ride home?”

“Nah, I’m good,” Grimmjow yawned widely, looking uncannily similar to Pantera when he did the same thing. “Thank your mom for dinner for me.”

“I will.” Ichigo trailed him back through the house as he recovered his backpack, jacket and finally his shoes at the door. “You’re welcome here any time, you know.”

Grimmjow looked at him sharply. “I’ll be sure not to wear out my welcome. But I wanted to ask you, the guys are throwing a party Saturday night to celebrate the new school year. You wanna come?”

Ichigo scratched the back of his head. “I’ve never gone to one of their parties because they can get a little...rowdy.”

“They’re the best kind,” Grimmjow grinned. “Come on, Ichigo. Meet me at Szayelaporro’s Friday night.”

“Okay, fine, one party.” Ichigo gave in just to see Grimmjow’s grin widen. 

*******

As soon as Ichigo walked into the party, he knew he’d made a mistake. There was no masking the smoke and the smell, and no one was trying to hide the multitude of liquor bottles on every horizontal surface. It seemed like it was already in full-swing since even the people dancing to the loud music were moving slowly and bonelessly.

Ichigo saw Ulquiorra and made a path toward him. “Where’s Grimmjow?” he demanded.

Ulquiorra looked at him with eyes dilated wide. “He wills where he wants.”

“That’s nice, thanks a fucking lot for nothing.” Ichigo glared around the dimly lit apartment again. Still no sight of a tall blue-haired form that should have stood out. He pushed his way through the people down the hall. Grimmjow was crowded into a corner leaning over a girl.

Ichigo grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back, suddenly even more furious. “Grimmjow, what the fuck!”

Grimmjow grinned at him and leaned so close that Ichigo could clearly see that his pupils were blown huge too. When he said Ichigo’s name, Ichigo could smell the overpowering odor of alcohol. 

“Come on, Grimmjow. We’re getting out of here.” Ichigo dug in his heels preparing for a fight, but Grimmjow just slung an arm around his shoulders and pulled him even closer.

“Wait, where are you going?” the girl pawed at Grimmjow’s chest, but he brushed off her hands without even looking.

“Come on,” Ichigo got him turned down the hallway and started forward. As long as he let Grimmjow hold onto him, he moved willingly through the crowd. Ichigo got another glimpse of Ulquiorra who still stood motionless in the kitchen watching them leave.

Once out of the apartment, Ichigo took a deep breath of fresh air and studied Grimmjow closer. He had definitely taken something, and drank something, and there were bright lipstick stains all over his face and neck.

“I’m taking you home,” he announced and Grimmjow leaned down to breath heavily into his ear.

“I can’t wait. Take me home.”

Ichigo shivered but at least Grimmjow was moving. Ichigo tried to ignore the hand sliding off his shoulder, down to his waist, to rest on his ass. He got Grimmjow to the right neighborhood and Grimmjow was able to stumble to the right apartment and even help him with the keys.

The tiny one-room apartment was a mess, but Ichigo pointed him at the futon and he went down in a rush. The only problem was he was still holding onto Ichigo who went down on top of him.

Grimmjow squirmed under him, and Ichigo held himself still until Grimmjow apparently had him arranged where he wanted: lying on top, his head cushioned on Grimmjow’s chest, Grimmjow’s legs to either side of his. It wasn’t remotely comfortable and worse, it was terribly intimate.

Ichigo started peeling himself off and ignored Grimmjow’s grumbles. “You are such a dumbass,” Ichigo told him when he could finally stand up.

Grimmjow just lounged on the mussed futon and grinned up at him. “Get back down here.”

“No,” Ichigo walked a few steps to the opposite wall and pulled out his phone. “Dad, yeah, it’s me. Hey, Grimmjow is all kinds of messed up from that party he was at. Yes, I know the recovery position. Yes, I’ll give him water. No, I didn’t take any shit, I was only there long enough to get him out. I might have to stay over to make sure he’s okay. Yeah, all right, thanks, Dad.”

Grimmjow was still grinning up at him. Ichigo nudged him with his foot but he easily evaded Grimmjow grabbing at him. “I’ll have to stay to make sure you don’t wake up dead.”

Grimmjow laughed and stretched. “Why don’t you come down here and keep me company?”

“Why don’t I make you some coffee? Or tea?” Ichigo went to the kitchenette and started rummaging. “Jeez, Grimmjow, how do you live like this? You got nothing here.”

“I don’t need much.”

Ichigo rooted in the fridge and found nothing but energy drinks. He finally emptied a bottle, rinsed it and filled it with water that he took back and offered Grimmjow. He sat up and drank thirstily.

“So do you do this kind of shit often?”

“Sometimes,” Grimmjow wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “At my last school I did whatever the hell I wanted to. Go party, bring home a girl, have fun for a night. My mom was never home so no one cared.”

“Then why’d you come back here?”

Grimmjow slumped back down to the futon. “Because no matter what I did, I couldn’t forget this fucking little kid who rescued a bunch of cats for me.”

“You damn softie,” Ichigo said and sat down on the floor beside the futon.

Grimmjow rolled so he could look at Ichigo. “It’s always been you.”

Then he lunged over and tried to catch Ichigo’s head. Ichigo pulled away and Grimmjow ended up halfway on top of him. He moved his head far enough to kiss Ichigo’s chin and tried for his mouth before Ichigo was able to get a hand on his face and another on his shoulder and push him away.

“What the hell was that for?”

“I’ve been wanting to do that ever since I moved back to town.”

Ichigo pulled away and got to his feet. “You need to sleep this off.”

“Stay with me,” Grimmjow reached up for him but Ichigo forced himself to back away and sit down on the opposite side of the room. He leaned against the wall and sighed.

“We’ll talk about it in the morning if you still feel this way.”

“It’s been six damn years, of course I still feel this way.”

Ichigo squeezed his eyes closed. “Grimm, just go to sleep.”

Grimmjow grumbled for a while and drank the rest of the water but he finally did fall asleep. Ichigo sat and watched him for a long while. Grimmjow was laying on his side and seemed to be breathing easily. Ichigo refilled the bottle with water and set it beside him. Then he pulled the crumpled sheet over him and left.

********

Ichigo didn’t get much sleep that night, replaying Grimmjow’s drunken conversation over and over. He wondered how much was the alcohol and drugs talking. And if Grimmjow would even remember the whole thing. Ichigo didn’t want to be the first one to bring it up, but he also didn’t want to leave Grimmjow miserable and alone.

The tossing and turning made him sleep in, and he grudgingly evaded his dad’s usual attempt at grievous bodily harm before finally getting out of bed.

He was poking listlessly at a late lunch when the doorbell rang. His mom answered it, and Ichigo heard her say, “Wow, you look terrible. Do you want something to eat?”

Grimmjow’s rough voice declined and then he appeared beside Ichigo. Masaki looked from one to the other before she said, “We’re getting ready to go to Karin’s soccer game. We won’t be home until after dinner, so if you want something, order pizza.”

“Thanks, Mom,” Ichigo yawned and she stuck her tongue out at him. Then she patted Grimmjow on the cheek and started rounding up the rest of the family.

Ichigo chewed methodically until he finished his meal. Grimmjow just sat beside him silently. 

Masaki popped back into the kitchen. “I almost forgot again! I wanted to give this to you the other night. Grimmjow, this is for you.” She handed him a soft package wrapped in tissue paper.

Grimmjow slid his thumb under the tape and pulled the paper open. Then he stared. Ichigo looked over his shoulder and stared too.

It was the small, fuzzy blanket with the tiger on it that Grimmjow had given to the mother cat when he found her and her kittens.

For the first time since Grimmjow returned, Ichigo see could the lonely, scared little sixth-grader that made his life hell and then became his best friend in his expression as he slowly ran his hand over the blanket.

“I had to disinfect it I don’t know how many times to get the cat smell out,” Masaki was saying, “but I wanted to save it for you. It seemed special.”

“Yeah,” Grimmjow said roughly. “Thanks.”

“We’re leaving now. Have fun. And no smoking in the house, please.”

“See you later, Mom.”

Ichigo never took his eyes off Grimmjow who was still staring down at the blanket.

“You okay?” Ichigo finally asked when he got up to take his plate to the sink.

“I’m fine. You gonna lecture me about last night?”

“No, no lecture. It’s your life and you can do what you want with it.” Ichigo poured himself a glass of water. “I just think you’re being a dumbass.”

“Noted.”

Ichigo finally turned to face Grimmjow. “You wanna go up to my room?”

“Sure.”

Ichigo didn’t know what to say to him, didn’t know if he should even raise the issue. Grimmjow probably didn’t remember it anyway, so why bring it up?

“Hey, buddy, look who’s here,” Ichigo said to Pantera who sat on his bed and meowed a greeting. He jumped off and ran to Grimmjow, twining around his ankles. “He remembers you.”

“I couldn’t stop thinking of him either,” Grimmjow sat heavily on his bed then picked up Pantera and put him in his lap. “You two were all I could remember.”

Ichigo’s stomach clenched. “Yeah? What do you remember about last night?”

Grimmjow looked him right in the eyes. “Everything. You told me we’d talk about it later, if I still felt the same, and I do. I always have. Ever since you were just a snot-nosed little brat who cried over everything.”

“Geez, Grimmjow.” Ichigo pinched the bridge of his nose.

“I don’t wanna waste anymore time,” Grimmjow said roughly. “I never told you I had a huge crush on you when we were brats. It’s why I was such an asshole to you. Only then you made me be your friend and then I had to leave and,” his voice trailed off as he looked down at Pantera. “Then I couldn’t stop thinking about you and wondering how you were and what you were doing. I got the crazy idea to move back here and find you before you went away to college.”

He looked back up at Ichigo fiercely. “As soon as I saw you, all those old feelings came back and I realized I still had a crush on you. Only now, you’re even better, and I had to go and ruin it last night.”

Ichigo couldn’t move, could only stare at him in shock. He tried to say something but wasn’t even sure how to begin. Finally he croaked, “You didn’t ruin anything last night.”

Grimmjow laughed bitterly. “You saw me at my worst. I can get like that sometimes, when things are too much to handle.”

“You’ve had a lot to handle in life,” Ichigo said. “I’m not into that. But it’s your choice.”

“Given a choice, I would pick you every fucking time.”

Ichigo couldn’t look away from the sincerity of Grimmjow’s eyes. He said slowly, “I thought about you too, after you left. I missed you so bad. Since you came back, I think about you all the time. Just not in the same way. I mean, I think about you in different ways now than when I was little.”

“What kind of ways?” Grimmjow’s voice deepened. “Sexy ways?”

Ichigo was sure that the hot blush creeping across his cheeks was answer enough but Grimmjow didn’t say anything. “Yeah,” Ichigo finally admitted.

“You ever have a boyfriend, Ichigo?” Grimmjow asked as he set Pantera on the bed and stood up.

“No,” Ichigo had to tip his head up to follow Grimmjow’s eyes when he stepped in close.

“You got one now.” Grimmjow cupped the side of his face in his long fingers and ran his thumb over Ichigo’s bottom lip. Then he followed it with his mouth.

Ichigo felt the warmth and firmness of his lips and instinctively leaned closer. His hands came up without any instruction and held on to Grimmjow’s upper arms. Grimmjow’s other hand went around his lower back and pulled him ever closer as Grimmjow’s tongue teased at the seam of his lips.

“Open your mouth, Ichigo,” he whispered, the words tickling Ichigo’s lips until he obeyed. The kiss deepened and Ichigo held on as they breathed in each other and Grimmjow thoroughly learned the shape of his lips.

“You okay with this?” Grimmjow asked, pulling back just far enough so that he could look at Ichigo’s face. Ichigo felt like he should have been embarrassed at how out of breath and panting he was, but all he could think was more, more, more. 

He tipped his face up and kissed Grimmjow, moving a little too fast and pinching Grimmjow’s upper lip between their teeth. But when he would have pulled back, mortified, Grimmjow just growled and flicked his tongue out, delving into Ichigo’s mouth and teasing his own tongue into playing.

Ichigo finally understood what all the fuss was about kissing as he followed Grimmjow’s lead and soon caught on to the rhythm and movement he seemed to like. Just when he’d chanced to suck on Grimmjow’s tongue, Grimmjow moaned and pulled back.

“Sorry,” Ichigo said but Grimmjow just rested his forehead against Ichigo’s for a moment.

“What’re you sorry about?” he panted.

“I thought I did something wrong.”

Grimmjow huffed out a laugh and kissed Ichigo’s forehead. “You’re doing everything right,” he assured. “I just don’t wanna take this any further than you want it to go.”

“I want you,” Ichigo said, and until he said it out loud, he didn’t realize how incredibly true it was. He finally admitted to himself that he wanted Grimmjow in every way, not just as friends or buddies. 

He ran his hands from Grimmjow’s arms slowly across his chest and then down. He felt Grimmjow suck in a breath and the hard muscles under his curious hands tightened even more. Then he moved them around Grimmjow’s lower back and up, pulling Grimmjow closer.

“Ichigo,” Grimmjow moaned and nuzzled into his ear, kissing his way down his neck. Ichigo tilted his head so he could have better access. He felt Grimmjow’s hand move slowly up his back, taking the hem of his T-shirt with it. Grimmjow asked, “Can I?”

Ichigo nodded and Grimmjow stepped back long enough to peel Ichigo’s shirt off with a little help. Then he fell on his collarbones with kisses and nips that made Ichigo squeal an embarrassing noise. Grimmjow chuckled as he bit gently into the strong muscle at the top of Ichigo’s shoulders and that made Ichigo moan. One of his questing hands came up to Ichigo’s chest, smoothing over his pec and finding his nipple. The unexpected thrill that thumbing over it caused Ichigo to buck his hips involuntarily.

“You’re so responsive,” Grimmjow whispered into his ear then licked the whorl of it. “You get me so hard.”

“Me too,” Ichigo said, even though he knew there was no way Grimmjow could have missed the hard bulge that was rubbing against his hip bone.

“Can I go down on you?” Grimmjow asked him, still whispering as though the intimacy would offend the quiet stillness of Ichigo’s room.

Ichigo groaned and bucked his hips again. “I’ve never had...”

“We don’t have to. I just really want to.” Grimmjow’s hand worked its way between them and rubbed at the hardness he found.

“Yeah, yeah,” Ichigo agreed and caught himself just in time not to yell when both of Grimmjow’s hands went to his belt, opening it swiftly before opening the fly of his jeans. He did make a noise when Grimmjow pushed him back onto the edge of the bed.

“You may want to be sitting down for this,” Grimmjow smirked and licked his bottom lip.

“Wait.” As soon as Ichigo said it, Grimmjow froze, his face going blank. Ichigo hurried to add, “Take your shirt off too. I wanna see you.”

Grimmjow’s smirk returned full force. He reached behind his head and pulled his shirt off in one motion. There was a lot for Ichigo to see and his eyes roved over the wide shoulders, the defined muscles of his pecs, the cut of his abs when he sucked in a breath, the deep V that pointed from his narrow hips into his jeans…

Then he went back up to a pale white line that was ever so slightly raised almost down the center of his chest. Ichigo brought his hand up and Grimmjow stepped forward into the touch.

“I can’t believe it. Is this from where I cut you that time?”

Grimmjow trapped his hand that was tracing the scar. Ichigo could feel the fast thumping of his heart beneath their hands. 

“Yeah,” Grimmjow laughed a little. “I always tell people I got knifed. It was all I had to remember you by.”

“You idiot,” Ichigo said fondly and Grimmjow laughed harder. When he let go of Ichigo’s hand, Ichigo quickly slid it over to his nipple and pinched. Only Grimmjow’s laugh turned into a throaty moan so he pinched again, curious at the reaction.

“I like a little pain,” Grimmjow told him, eyes bright, and Ichigo shivered. “Don’t worry. I’ll go easy on you.” And he dropped to his knees in front of Ichigo.

Ichigo could have come right then. Grimmjow walked forward on his knees and slid his hands from Ichigo’s knees up the inside of his thighs, never taking his eyes off Ichigo’s face the entire time. Ichigo couldn’t have stopped looking at the sight before him even if his father and all his family and every single god in the pantheon barged in.

He held out a trembling hand and Grimmjow rubbed his cheek against it, for all the world exactly like Pantera did when he wanted to mark Ichigo with his scent or invite more petting. When Ichigo carded his fingers through Grimmjow’s hair, Grimmjow smirked and told him, “You can pull as much as you want. I like that too.”

Then he pulled down Ichigo’s zipper and with some rearranging, eased him out of his briefs. Ichigo didn’t have a chance to be embarrassed because Grimmjow rubbed his cheek against the hard cock with the same motion and planted wet kisses along the shaft all the way down.

Ichigo realized he would have to breathe, and he gasped for air as Grimmjow kissed his way back up and onto the head. Then he licked over the head, dipping his tongue into the slit. “You do taste sweet, Berry. I knew it,” was all he said before taking Ichigo into his mouth fully.

Ichigo couldn’t help the spasm that tightened his hand around Grimmjow’s hair when he went down. But Grimmjow bobbed back up and moaned approvingly so Ichigo held on.

He was afraid it wasn’t going to last long. Grimmjow’s mouth was so hot and so wet. At first he just took his cock in as far as he could, until his lips touched the hand he had wrapped tightly around the base. But then as he came up, he started the most incredible suction, better than anything Ichigo had imagined. And he soon set a fast rhythm that made Ichigo see stars.

“Grimmjow,” he gritted out, his other hand fumbling to grip Grimmjow’s shoulder. Maybe Grimmjow understood or maybe he just wanted to tease because he slowed the pace, taking the time to lick over and around the head of his cock and press his tongue to a spot under the head that made Ichigo shout.

The relief was short-lived because when Grimmjow took him in again, this time he slid his mouth down impossibly far and Ichigo felt himself bump the back of his throat. The sensation and the thought of it made Ichigo’s dick twitch. Grimmjow seemed to appreciate that and hummed as he bobbed up and went back down again.

The vibration and the suction and everything else were too much. Ichigo tried to push at Grimmjow who stubbornly kept the same pace. Ichigo tried to warn him but the most he could get out were some garbled words and another shout.

Then he was coming, harder than he’d ever had, curled over Grimmjow’s head, his entire body tightening with the force of it. As soon as Grimmjow realized, he pulled off and milked his cock with his hand, opening his mouth and letting Ichigo come all over his tongue and lips. It was the hottest thing Ichigo had ever, ever seen, and his dick twitched valiantly and tried to come even more.

Grimmjow made a show of swallowing as he watched Ichigo’s face then grinned. “You taste as sweet as I’d imagined, Berry.”

“Oh my god,” Ichigo brought a foot up to kick at his shoulder while Grimmjow rocked back on his heels. “Only you could ruin such a great moment.”

Grimmjow sat on the floor and laughed, and Ichigo found himself laughing along. Then Grimmjow grabbed one of their shirts and wiped his face. Ichigo felt so loose and relaxed, he wasn’t sure if he should tuck himself away or offer to do the same to Grimmjow and then he realized that he really wanted to offer.

“Are you—” he began and then tried, “Do you wanna—” Even though it seemed ridiculous to be shy now, after all that, he wasn’t sure how to say it.

Grimmjow was looking up at him from the floor so Ichigo just crooked his fingers at him. Grimmjow eagerly knelt back up between his legs, and Ichigo held his face and kissed him. Then he realized what he was tasting and made a face as he broke the kiss. “You and I have very different opinions of what tastes sweet.”

“I’ve never tasted anything better,” Grimmjow said and kissed him again. But Ichigo was plucking at his bare shoulders, pulling at him.

“Can I make you come?” he finally got brave enough to say and Grimmjow groaned against his lips.

“Keep talking like that and you will,” he promised.

“How do you wanna—” 

“Can we get naked?” Grimmjow blurted. “I’ve wanted to see you for so long.”

It seemed too late to say no, so Ichigo shimmied out of his pants and briefs then pointed at Grimmjow. “You too.”

Grimmjow stood up and dropped his jeans, and Ichigo wanted to cover his eyes. “You go commando?”

“That embarrasses you now?”

“Shut up,” Ichigo snapped and pulled his clothes the rest of the way off along with his socks. He pushed himself back on the bed so Grimmjow could join him, but he slid onto Pantera who woke with a grumble.

“Oh my god, I forgot he was here!” Ichigo covered his groin much to Grimmjow’s amusement.

“I don’t think he minds, as long as you don’t lay on him.”

“We’re not doing anything in front of him!” Ichigo hissed.

“Too late for that.”

“Grimmjow!” Ichigo couldn’t explain why it bothered him, but it did. Grimmjow rolled his eyes ad leaned over to pick up the cat.

“Sorry, buddy. Your other dad is shy or body conscious or something and doesn’t want you to see us doing it. You’ll have to wait in the hall.” Grimmjow leaned over to deposit him carefully outside and shut the door.

The pitiful mewing started immediately. “That’s worse,” Grimmjow turned as he said it, but Ichigo’s eyes were glazed over. “What?”

“Nice view,” Icihgo said. “You have a nice ass.”

“Thanks,” Grimmjow smirked and swaggered back to the bed, not in the least conscious of his nudity or his renewed erection. He climbed onto the foot of the bed then up and over Ichigo who was holding very still. “You okay now that Pantera is saved from seeing us do it?”

“Yeah,” Ichigo said, reaching for him and pulling his head down for a kiss. But he wasn’t satisfied with Grimmjow holding himself above him. He wrapped his legs around Grimmjow’s hips and pulled him down on top of him with a muffled omph.

Grimmjow immediately tried to roll off but Ichigo clung with his arms and legs wrapped around him. “I’m not smooshing you?”

“No.”

“Not poking you?” Grimmjow rolled his hips so Ichigo could feel his heavy dick against his hip.

“Yes, and if you keep doing that, I’m going to be poking you back in a minute.”

“That’s the goal,” Grimmjow said, kissing him again. Ichigo lost himself in Grimmjow’s clever mouth and tongue and the feeling of all that bare skin hot against his own. His hands roamed freely over Grimmjow’s back, feeling the clench and tensing of his muscles and down further to his ass that he’d so recently admired. He gave it a firm double-handed squeeze and felt Grimmjow’s dick rub harder against him.

Grimmjow was apparently letting him explore as much as he wanted because he just kissed him again and again then began to devour his neck, licking and suckling what Ichigo was afraid were going to end up being some truly awful hickies. But he couldn’t complain because when Grimmjow came up for air, Ichigo returned the favor, licking a stripe up the side of his neck and biting him right below the ear, in a soft spot that made Grimmjow catch his breath then moan. Ichigo sucked it and licked it while Grimmjow squirmed.

Ichigo had no idea how long they lay there together kissing while Ichigo touched every inch he could reach. But he knew that Grimmjow’s arm that bore his weight began to tremble when Ichigo finally dared to move his hand around Grimmjow’s hip and between them.

The feeling of his cock was strange and yet familiar, and Ichigo gave it a thoughtful stroke while he weighed the differences between it and his own. Mostly it was the angle he was trying to pump it, he thought as he gave it another long pull and then swiped his thumb over the head to collect the fluid that had begun to gather. Still, he thought he could get the hang of it as he circled the sensitive head again.

“Ichi, you’re killing me,” Grimmjow groaned into his shoulder. His arm trembled harder. 

“Oh, huh,” Ichigo stroked him once then again a little faster and Grimmjow’s head flopped on his shoulder. “Do you like that?” he asked with fake innocence.

“Cocktease,” Grimmjow mumbled as he lifted his head to try and glare but he had to let it fall when Ichigo circled the head again with more pressure.

“It’s not a tease if I plan to follow through with it,” he said primly.

“Where’s your lotion?”

Ichigo’s hand stopped at that question. What was Grimmjow implying? Did he want to… Ichigo didn’t think he was ready for that, no, he knew he definitely was _not_ ready for that. “Uh.”

Grimmjow sensed his confusion and lifted his head again to see Ichigo’s expression. “Not for that,” he said, reading his mind right away. “What do you take me for? There’s lube and condoms and prep for that, not to mention we’d need to talk about things first.” Ichigo exhaled a giant sigh of relief, and Grimmjow smiled down at him. “I was thinking that we could,” and he took a hold of Ichigo’s interested cock and stroked it gently, “do this instead. Together.”

“Oh, yeah, yeah,” Ichigo said more enthusiastically. “Top drawer,” he gestured toward his desk.

Grimmjow heaved himself toward the drawer without getting up and the movement dragged all kinds of interesting things over Ichigo, including his dick which left a trail of moisture over Ichigo’s stomach. He had to hold his breath until Grimmjow was done rummaging in the drawer and sitting back over him with a tube of lotion.

“How’d you know I even had lotion?” he asked suddenly.

Grimmjow smirked slowly. “Because you’re an 18-year-old boy living with his parents. You aren’t going out and buying lube.”

“Ugh, smartass,” Ichigo said. 

“Nice ass,” Grimmjow corrected, still smirking. He shook out his arm and made to lean over Ichigo again, but Ichigo put his hand on his chest.

“Like this?” he rolled onto his side and pulled at Grimmjow to lie down facing him. Ichigo leaned forward for a kiss even as he wondered if he could become addicted to kissing after just one afternoon. Grimmjow didn’t seem to mind his new addiction and kissed him back eagerly.

Ichigo had more room to touch now and he spent a few moments feeling up Grimmjow’s chest and stomach before going back down to his prize. This time he was more sure with his strokes and picked up a rhythm. 

But Grimmjow was stopping him, pulling at his hip, scooting him closer to Grimmjow which Ichigo understood when their cocks met and rubbed together. He rocked his hips again and again and the feeling of the soft skin covering Grimmjow’s hard cock touching his own was almost too good.

Grimmjow laughed a little suddenly and held his hip steady. “Hold on. I don’t want this to be over so soon.” He eased his big hand between them and there was a quick shock of cool lotion before he lined them up and took them both in one long-fingered hand.

Ichigo sighed and rolled his head up which Grimmjow took as invitation to press more kisses to his neck. Grimmjow set a nice, steady pace of stroking them. The stimulation from the firm grip of his hand mixed with the rub and slide of his cock was the best thing Ichigo had ever felt, maybe even better than Grimmjow’s mouth.

He didn’t even know he was making noises until Grimmjow groaned, “Ichi, you sound so good. You feel so good.”

Ichigo took a deep breath and pushed his own hand down between them and wrapped it around Grimmjow’s whose squeezed harder. They both rocked and bucked toward each other as they stroked. Grimmjow licked vainly at Ichigo’s mouth but neither was coordinated enough to even try to kiss.

Ichigo tried to hold off, tried not to focus on the overwhelming pleasure that was lighting up his every nerve. But it was too much and too new.

“Gonna come,” he panted out, and Grimmjow licked his lip.

“Go on, come. Come for me, Ichigo.”

And he did. He shook a little as he let go and came all over his own cock and Grimmjow’s. Grimmjow was still stroking and now he was grinding his own teeth. When Ichigo let out a noise after a few moments, he realized it was too much on Ichigo’s sensitive flesh.

But Ichigo just pulled back enough for his softening cock to slide out of their grip then he got his own hand around Grimmjow and pumped hard and steady.

“Do you feel it? My come’s all over you,” he didn’t know why he whispered it, but it made Grimmjow suddenly buck wildly and then pump out all over his hand. Ichigo held him through it then finally let go and wiped his hand on the sheet.

Grimmjow rolled onto his back and breathed like he’d just run a marathon. Ichigo lay beside him on his back and didn’t know what to do. Grimmjow mumbled something and rolled, resting his head on Ichigo’s chest and tucking his arm around his waist.

“Was that— did you—” Ichigo couldn’t believe he was speechless again.

Grimmjow pressed a kiss to his chest. “That was good. Yes, I came, you know I did.”

Ichigo pinched whatever part of Grimmjow’s back he could reach. “I know you came, dumbass. I meant, did you like that?”

“What part of me almost passing out made you think I didn’t like it?”

“I don’t know. Maybe you’re like this all the time.”

“I’m not,” Grimmjow yawned against him and wrapped one leg over Ichigo’s. “But I think you gave me a new kink today.”

“I did?”

“Mm, I never knew I liked dirty talk so much. But when it’s you saying it, I’ve never heard anything so sexy.”

“Oh jeez,” Ichigo couldn’t believe he could blush after all that, but he did.

“Enough talk. Nap now. If I’m this good when I have a hangover, just imagine how great I am without.” Grimmjow wasn’t too tired to leer up at him.

“You’re arrogant enough without me telling you how good you are.” Ichigo smiled down at him, and Grimmjow happily tucked his head under Ichigo’s chin again. “But a nap does sound good.”

When Ichigo woke up, the warm weight of Grimmjow was gone but he could sense warmth still beside him. He threw out an arm then rolled onto his side to find that he was spooned behind Grimmjow. He just nestled in closer and kissed the back of his neck.

Grimmjow mumbled something and pressed his ass back directly into another part of Ichigo that was rapidly waking up.

Then Ichigo became aware of the soft noise first just on the edge of his hearing then growing louder. It became a loud, vibrating purr. Still in the confusion of his wakening, Ichigo pressed his ear between Grimmjow’s shoulder blades, thinking it was kinda sweet that Grimmjow was so happy he purred.

Then he felt the pillow shift and a rough tongue swept over his forehead. “Ugh, Pantera? What are you doing here?!” He craned his neck trying to see the cat. Pantera meowed.

Then a forlorn meow came from the foot of the bed, and Ichigo stretched his head up to see Kon sitting down there. When he saw Ichigo was awake, he quickly crawled up and flopped down right in the small of Ichigo’s back.

“Aargh,” Ichigo groaned into Grimmjow’s back. 

“What?” Grimmjow mumbled.

“The cats are here. They’re watching us.”

Grimmjow snorted a tired laugh. “Maybe they’ll learn something.”

“But we’re naked. And Kon is touching me,” he whined, burrowing his head into Grimmjow’s back as if there were somewhere to hide.

“He’s probably just jealous. We should give them a show.”

“Shut up.” 

Grimmjow rolled and turned and squirmed, trying to face Ichigo. When he did, he squinted up at Pantera who spared him a few licks on the forehead as well.

“I think they’re giving us their blessing.”

“You’re weird,” Ichigo told him.

“I can live with that.” Grimmjow kissed him quickly then asked, “Can you?”

“I am not doing anything in front of the cats,” Ichigo said firmly. 

“But when the cats aren’t around?”

“There’s a lot of things I want to try,” he admitted to Grimmjow’s great joy.

“I’m glad I came back.” Grimmjow ran his fingers down Ichigo’s face.

“I am too.”

Grimmjow kissed him again. “When are your parents supposed to be home?”

“Not until after dinner.”

“Good,” Grimmjow tried to roll on top of him, but Kon’s shrieks stopped him. Grimmjow gently picked up the angry cat and dropped him near the floor. “Now let’s talk about what else you want to try.”

Pantera’s satisfied purring was the only sound in the room for a long time.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm often to be found lurking around [my Tumblr](http://zephfair.tumblr.com) if you want to come over and say hi!


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